ARTNATOMY/ARTNATOMIA

ARTNATOMY: overview

ARTNATOMYA is an interactive english/spanish app designed to facilitate the teaching and learning of the anatomical and biomechanical foundations of facial expression morphology.

The primary goal is to provide students and interested users with a convenient reference tool, making it easier to become familiar with and experiment with the underlying anatomical structures through accurate biomechanical representations of different facial expressions.

The app also assists instructors by offering an expandable animated image (which can be projected via a computer-connected projector). Additionally, interaction—controlled by either the instructor or the students—is multifunctional. The app’s various levels and independent features allow its content to be integrated into any educational program, providing real-time examples for students.

This compact tool offers a solid foundation for addressing potential challenges related to the accurate depiction of facial expressions, eliminating the need for cumbersome teaching aids such as slides and photocopies. Furthermore, this digital presentation tool serves as a comprehensive supporting document solution for institutions lacking such resources.

Why the app?

I began to develop this tool—which I have designed, illustrated, and programmed—out of necessity, as a "war tool" for my students during my time teaching at a Fine Arts University. My goal was to provide them with essential information while also making my job easier, eliminating the need to manage thousands of slides and photocopies. I also believed that a tool like this could be helpful for institutions lacking adequate resources.

This project was also presented as academic work (on my path to earning a doctorate) and was officially registered in 2005 at the Drawing Department of the Fine Arts University (UPV) in Valencia, Spain, under the title "ARTNATOMY/ARTNATOMIA: Anatomy of Facial Expression: Interactive Manual." I would like to thank Dr. Carlos Plasencia Climent; without his help and advice, the application would not be as complete and rigorous as it is.

Intended Audience

ARTNATOMYA was originally created for artists and animators, but it is also highly valuable for professionals in a variety of other fields. Psychologists can use it to study how emotions are expressed; neurologists employ it to explain to patients and students how certain brain conditions affect facial expressions; dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and aesthetics professionals use it for teaching facial exercises; and even actors can benefit from it.

Ultimately, its primary goal has always been to serve as a stimulus and support for those engaged in the daily task of learning and teaching.